Welcome to the first post in our new Pillow Talk series on the blog! "Pillow talk" in the sense that I want this to feel like a late night chat, sharing ideas and opening up about personal things. So this blog series will be just that! I'll be sharing the nitty gritty on everything from DIY projects and home renovation to my journey starting the shop, my battles with infertility and PPD and well, everything in between. I'm hoping it can be a useful resource and one where we can inspire, learn, and connect with each other on a more personal level, cuz that's what this is all really about right?? So without further ado, today's topic may seem completely random but it's is something I CANNOT get off my mind: CHECKERED FLOORS. Why? Well, if you've watched our Home Tour Highlight Bubble, you'll see that our laundry/mudroom is one of the most outdated and downright terrible spots in our home. Like not just ugly, but super NOT functional either. From the moment we first walked through the house I started pinning ideas and dreaming of gutting the space and turning it into a spa-like retreat with rich wood tones, a vintage stone trough basin sink, floor to ceiling handcrafted zellige tile, aged brass accents and warm terra cotta hues. You can see my inspiration and the direction my head was going here. Who wouldn't like folding laundry in a space like that?? But then- real life shiz happened. In the same week our dishwasher AND washing machine both bit the dust (could we really expect 2020 to end any other way haha?). We have too many projects that are more pressing to tackle this year, so we won't have the budget for a full renovation for another year or two. But since we've got to replace the washing machine anyways I started thinking that this is the perfect time to do a budget-friendly "phase one" renovation to hold us over until then. And then when I saw this dollhouse (YES THIS IS A DOLLHOUSE!) it was just the inspiration I needed, and suddenly I saw that dreary space come to life in my head! The checkered floors, the dusty blue/gray/green cabinets and dark countertops - I just love all of it. Checkerboard floors are as classic and timeless as a design element can be, but I do think we're going to see more of them in 2021, and see them done in fresh new ways and I am here! for! it! Here are just a few examples I'm completely jazzed about: Chris Loves Julia used an oversized checkerboard pattern on a diagonal to make a BIG statement in their dining room I absolutely love how the blue undertones in the tile in this design by Tarabel Marrakech tie in with the dusty blue/gray color on the windows! These stairs! Need I say more?! june.and.blue's kitchen reno is PERFECT. I can't get over how she used square zellige tile to create a diagonal checkerboard design! Genius! Nate Berkus followed the same concept, using rectangular tile to create the checkerboard pattern in this beautiful bathroom design love that sketchfortytwo strayed away from the typical black and white and implemented this gorgeous terra cotta color way instead Replacing the old, yellowing linoleum flooring in our laundry room isn't an option right now, but I've got an idea of how to transform it into a checkerboard dream and I can't wait to share the process with you! If you want to see more of my home reno/ design inspo be sure to follow me on Pinterest! And I really want this to be a space where we can learn from each other, so give your input in the comments! Share your ideas! And I'm so curious- what kinds of blog posts would you like to see on here? Let me know in the comments below! xoxo, Ally
